Best Nycb
George Balanchine shaped modern ballet as a Russian-born American choreographer. His innovative approach emphasized musicality and streamlined movement, establishing neoclassical ballet’s prominence. He co-founded the New York City Ballet and created works celebrated for their abstract narratives an...
Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) was a highly influential American choreographer renowned for his innovative blending of ballet and musical theatre styles. His work significantly shaped both Broadway and New York City Ballet productions. He is particularly celebrated for his groundbreaking choreography of...
“After the Rain” by Wayne Wheeldon utilizes Arvo Pärt’s music to explore themes of loss and recovery. The ballet features a group of male dancers presenting a deeply moving contemporary work. It is particularly relevant for audiences interested in lyrical movement and the emotional impact of minimal...
George Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements is a neoclassical ballet built upon Maurice Ravel’s *La Mer*. The work translates the composer’s evocative musical score into a purely abstract dance experience through rapid shifts in tempo and texture mirroring the sea's changing moods. It is notable...
Balanchine’s *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* is a full-length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy. The production, originally staged in 1947, features a substantial corps de ballet and complex choreography inspired by Mendelssohn's score. It portrays the whimsical and often disruptive relationship...
Matthew Wheeldon’s Polyphonia (1991) is a ballet notable for its stark emotional impact. The choreography utilizes Arvo Pärt's minimalist compositions to evoke themes of memory, loss, and isolation. Primarily performed by the New York City Ballet, it’s suited for audiences interested in contemporary...
Jacques d’Amboise was a highly influential American ballet dancer. He spent much of his career as principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, performing iconic roles and collaborating extensively with George Balanchine. His technical skill and adaptability made him a pivotal figure in 20th-ce...
“Moves” is a ballet choreographed by Michael Robinns. The work explores abstract movement and silence, drawing inspiration from neoclassical dance traditions. It was originally created for the New York City Ballet in 2019. The choreography investigates themes of displacement and identity through non...
Edward Villella was an influential American dancer and choreographer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. He is best known for his pivotal role as principal dancer with the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine, establishing a new level of athleticism and expressiveness in classical bal...
Opus Jazz, created by Andrea Horta Robbins, presents a unique ballet interpretation of Louis Armstrong's life. This American work from the 20th century blends jazz music with classical dance techniques. It’s notable for its exploration of Armstrong’s influence and artistry. The piece is relevant to...
George Balanchine's Movements for Piano and Orchestra, created in 1937, is a seminal neoclassical ballet. It showcases a dynamic relationship between a solo piano part by Stravinsky and the dancers’ movements on a stark stage. The work’s intricate rhythms and abstract design make it notable within t...
Balanchine’s *Orpheus* is a neoclassical ballet based on the Greek myth. The work features a primarily male company exploring themes of love and loss through precise, angular choreography set to Stravinsky's score. It is notable for its dramatic interpretation of the Orpheus and Eurydice narrative a...
Patricia McBride was an American dancer recognized as a principal ballerina with the New York City Ballet for over two decades. Her performances, particularly under George Balanchine, were noted for their exceptional technical skill and nuanced interpretations of classical ballet roles. She is prima...
Megan Fairchild is a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, recognized for her exceptional artistry and technical precision across a diverse repertoire including roles in Balanchine’s *Serenade* and *Jewels*.
Violette Verdy was a pioneering French ballerina renowned for her innovative and intensely expressive interpretations of classical roles like Giselle and Carmen, particularly celebrated for her emotionally raw physicality and unconventional stage presence.
“Antique Epigraphs” by Matthew Robbins blends classical ballet technique with elements of contemporary dance and historical research, exploring the lives and stories embedded within ancient Roman inscriptions through evocative movement and set design.
George Balanchine’s *Dybbuk* (1973) is a large-scale neoclassical ballet set in 17th-century Poland, depicting the passionate and obsessive love story between Jacob and Lilah, fueled by a malevolent spirit inhabiting Lilah.
Sergei Balanchine’s *Kammermusik No. 2* (1967) is a stark and angular ballet set to György Ligeti's unsettling electronic score, depicting a chaotic and violent encounter through precise, fragmented movements of the dancers.
Benjamin Britten’s ballet *Don Quixote* (1965), choreographed by George Balanchine, portrays the delusional knight’s tilting at windmills and his passionate, albeit misguided, pursuit of Dulcinea, set to a score featuring distinctive Spanish influences.
*Episodes*, choreographed by George Balanchine in 1935, depicts a stark and emotionally restrained pas de deux set to Olivier Messiaen’s *Quartet for the End of Time*, exploring themes of isolation and resilience through precise movement and minimalist staging.
Sergei Diaghilev’s 1947 production of *La Sonnambula* by Vincenzo Bellini, choreographed by George Balanchine, features a striking depiction of the opera's story through stylized movement and ensemble work, set to the composer’s score.
George Balanchine’s *The Guests* (also known as “Robbins”) is a stark, minimalist ballet set to Stravinsky’s *Ebony Train*, featuring a predominantly male ensemble performing precise, repetitive movements evoking the feeling of a formal gathering and its eventual dissipation.
George Balanchine’s *Opus 19: The Dreamer* is a neoclassical ballet set to Maurice Ravel’s *Bolero*, featuring a solo dancer embodying a solitary figure lost in contemplation and movement within a stark, minimalist stage design.
Bourrée Fantasque, choreographed by George Balanchine, is a vibrant and technically demanding work featuring a large ensemble cast performing a series of dazzling, interconnected dance sections showcasing diverse musical styles and movement vocabulary.
Scotch Symphony, choreographed by George Balanchine in 1946, utilizes a large ensemble to depict a spirited Highland gathering through rapid, interlocking movements and energetic rhythms inspired by Scottish folk music.
Fearful Symmetries, choreographed by Peter Martins, is a complex and unsettling work exploring themes of psychological tension and fractured relationships through stark, angular movement and a deliberately dissonant musical score.
“Bugaku,” choreographed by George Balanchine in 1956, is a rarely performed work that adapts the movements and aesthetic principles of traditional Japanese court music and dance – *bugaku* – into a distinctly modern balletic form.
